DVD Corner

A Thousand And One Blu-ray Review

“A Thousand And One” is an emotional drama.

Written and directed by A.V. Rockwell, “A Thousand And One” is a dramatic film that begins in 1994 in which a young African American hairdresser has been released from Rikers Island prison. Back in New York, Inez is broke and homeless and her son (Terry) is in foster care. She makes a decision to kidnap Terry and raise him illegally. Later on, Inez’s formerly incarcerated boyfriend (Lucky) is released from jail and he becomes a father figure to Terry over time. The movie jumps forward in time to 2001 and 2005 to show Terry’s teenage years, but more than that, we discover that Inez has been hiding some devastating truths from Terry his entire life. 

After making a splash at the Sundance Film Festival, “A Thousand And One” became a well received theatrical indie film and it’s not hard to see why. A.V. Rockwell has crafted a poignant drama about family, secrets, and lies. It’s a raw, intimate character story that is unafraid to face uncomfortable truths like the gentrification of New York, the class system, and the broken foster care system. Although there are definite shades of “Moonlight” here in terms of the time jumps and character evolutions, “A Thousand And One” still feels fresh and original. It’s clear that A.V. Rockwell is a bold new cinematic voice to look out for in the future.

If you’ve heard about “A Thousand And One,” you’ve likely heard about the acting by Teyana Taylor who plays Inez. The multi-talented Taylor (an actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer) gives a deeply emotional, fiery, and ultimately heartbreaking performance of a mother who will do anything for her son. It’s the centerpiece of the film and indeed lifts the movie up completely. It won’t surprise me if she gets Awards consideration by year’s end. Will Catlett (Lucky) and the 3 actors who play Terry at different ages (Aaron Kingsley Adetola, Aven Courtney and Jonah Cross) also deserve credit here for their genuine performances. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.90:1 1080p. Grade: B+

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Grade: B+

No extras have been included.

November 11, 2023 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | A Thousand And One Blu-ray Review, A Thousand And One Movie